Tuesday, 19 November 2013

FINDING MY MOJO!

Lately it has been difficult to find time to create. I always know when this is lacking in my life, I feel off balance, not quite complete. And so it was with huge relief and excitement that I packed my bags and set off for a weekend retreat. I met these ladies for the first time earlier this year and had one of the best weekends ever! I have never been made so welcome or laughed so much. This time I also took my friend Pauline. Now, this is no grand affair. We sleep in a village hall on lilos, and create/crop in the other half. Like grown-ups on a Brownie camp! And do you know what? I was so comfortable and relaxed in the company that I shared that on Saturday I did not get dressed! No - I had a pj day! I never do this at home unless I am unwell but I have had a lot of pressure lately and having a r-e-a-l-l-y chilled day was just what I needed. Sometimes it is good to listen to the body and do what feels right, this felt really liberating and rebellious and it fed my inner child! Some of you will know that I am working through The Artists Way book written by Julia Cameron. Well one of the things I most enjoy and embrace is 'morning pages'. Much like journaling this is time for me to empty my mind and create space for other ideas and thoughts. Hopefully useful ones. And this weekend my writing blew me away by what it unearthed. Earlier this year I started a new Art Journal following an online course 'Passport to Art' run by Bernice. Well, I started the journal on the last retreat but I could not connect with some of the prompt quotes. I made several attempts to fill more pages when I got home but I was not excited or inspired. But I wanted to work on this so I took my journal and during my 'morning pages' I had a realisation. I needed to make the journal more personal. AND I WAS AWAY!!I made up my own quotes or journal related themes and completed lots of pages. I wondered why I hadn't done this before but I guess when we are overloaded the obvious can be overlooked. I am grateful to Bernice for the inspiration because I LOVE metaphors and things to do with travel and journey. I LOVE art journaling and getting messy with ink and paint. I LOVE being experimental and doing things just for sheer fun. And now I LOVE my Atlas-journal! Here are a couple of my early pages. I will make a video one day and show more. Other pages are shown on the link above.

Now this page irritates me. The spacing is wrong and I want to redo it. But I am learning to live with imperfection and I challenge myself to let go and walk away. To acept that sometimes it is 'good enough'. So it is almost fitting that this page came together in this way. My cabin is too full for me to use right now. Another reason my creativity is stifled. There is no room for play! I find it hard to throw things that might have another use, you see. I love upcycling, making things from old. And it was interesting that the words on this page just flowed, there was no practice run or pre-contemplation. With the recent loss of a dear friend and other things going on, this page is very much where I am right now. I did have a good day in the cabin and I can find the floor and table top again. There is still much to be done but this weekend I am off on another retreat. I am super excited! I'll share more about this another time, and what I made this first weekend because day 2 of my 'morning pages' was also liberating and productive.So glad that my mojo is back!

I'm glad you regained your mojo. And I know that feeling of something about a project still bugging you when you are done, walking away is best. Sometimes you just have to delight in the process as much as the product.

Lovely post as always Sandie - it was an excellent weekend. I know what you mean about hanging onto things - I am busy trying to let go here too! See you Thursday hopefully and then a whole weekend of crafty play - yippee - we are the lucky ones xxx

I know exactly how you feel! My muse has been missing lately, but I'm trying to get back to my art table and blogging. Would love a retreat. And yes I definitely went my own way with Bernice's prompts, too.Rinda